I had mixed feelings about Osgood Perkins' previous movie, Longlegs. I felt it had story problems that grew worse as the movie progressed. By the end Longlegs became overly convoluted and more than a bit ridiculous.
On the other hand, I admire the way Longlegs takes itself seriously. I liked the overall look of the production and many scenes are genuinely unnerving. Nicholas Cage's performance is particularly effective.
Hopes were high for the Perkins adaption of Stephen King's short story, "The Monkey". Neon went all out with promotion, gaining approval from Mr. King himself. It seemed like a can't miss movie experience.
I saw The Monkey yesterday, and I'm afraid say I was sorely disappointed.
I've always liked horror comedies, but for me the horror has to be taken seriously. I look back at the classics. Fright Night is very funny, but the vampire scenes are pure horror. Night of the Creeps is a joyous experience, but the aliens are never taken lightly. Even The Lost Boys has unsettling moments. The very first horror movie of my life, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, has broad comedy, but the Universal Monsters are treated with respect.
The Monkey is irredeemably silly without being funny. The digital effects are phony-looking enough to be a cartoon. I never once felt any tension or any sympathy for the characters.
Humor is extremely subjective, and maybe if The Monkey had tickled my funnybone I'd be more appreciative. I merely felt bored. The movie is like a cleaned-up Troma schlockterpiece, tailor-made for mainstream audiences.
I didn't love Longlegs and I didn't hate The Monkey. If I were Siskel or Ebert, my wavering thumb would elevate to the up position with Longlegs. In the case of The Monkey, gravity drags it down in the negative zone.
If you stick around after The Monkey's end credits you will be treated to a commercial for the next Osgood Perkins movie. Keeper looks to be more in line with Longlegs and not as trivial as The Monkey. I'm willing to pay to see how it turns out.
Osgood Perkins is on top of the horror food chain after his two successes. If you look back at the classic horror directors you can plainly see how hard it is to maintain the crown. I wish him the best of luck, but I mostly wish for better movies than The Monkey in the future.
Written by Mark Sieber
On the other hand, I admire the way Longlegs takes itself seriously. I liked the overall look of the production and many scenes are genuinely unnerving. Nicholas Cage's performance is particularly effective.
Hopes were high for the Perkins adaption of Stephen King's short story, "The Monkey". Neon went all out with promotion, gaining approval from Mr. King himself. It seemed like a can't miss movie experience.
I saw The Monkey yesterday, and I'm afraid say I was sorely disappointed.
I've always liked horror comedies, but for me the horror has to be taken seriously. I look back at the classics. Fright Night is very funny, but the vampire scenes are pure horror. Night of the Creeps is a joyous experience, but the aliens are never taken lightly. Even The Lost Boys has unsettling moments. The very first horror movie of my life, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, has broad comedy, but the Universal Monsters are treated with respect.
The Monkey is irredeemably silly without being funny. The digital effects are phony-looking enough to be a cartoon. I never once felt any tension or any sympathy for the characters.
Humor is extremely subjective, and maybe if The Monkey had tickled my funnybone I'd be more appreciative. I merely felt bored. The movie is like a cleaned-up Troma schlockterpiece, tailor-made for mainstream audiences.
I didn't love Longlegs and I didn't hate The Monkey. If I were Siskel or Ebert, my wavering thumb would elevate to the up position with Longlegs. In the case of The Monkey, gravity drags it down in the negative zone.
If you stick around after The Monkey's end credits you will be treated to a commercial for the next Osgood Perkins movie. Keeper looks to be more in line with Longlegs and not as trivial as The Monkey. I'm willing to pay to see how it turns out.
Osgood Perkins is on top of the horror food chain after his two successes. If you look back at the classic horror directors you can plainly see how hard it is to maintain the crown. I wish him the best of luck, but I mostly wish for better movies than The Monkey in the future.
Written by Mark Sieber
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